WINNERS of July Giveaways!

1st Giveaway:
Winner of the
Michelle Moran Double Feature
The Heretic Queen
and
Cleopatra's Daughter
is...
MICHELLE OF PEACEFUL READER

2nd Giveaway:
Winner of
Didn't I Feed You Yesterday? by Laura Bennett
is...

LISA OF BOOKS LISTS LIFE

3rd Giveaway:
Winner of
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen
is...

LESLEY OF LESLEY SAYS

Congrats to everyone! Please e-mail me your mailing info so I can get these books out to you next week!

Elena of With Extra Pulp Answers My 20 Questions

Today I am pleased to welcome Elena of the book blog, With Extra Pulp! Thanks so much, Elena! Beautiful photo of you, by the way!

1. MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF READING: I'd just watched my first movie ever in the cinemas. Disney's Bambi. My mother caught onto my love of it and bought me the book adaptation. So Bambi holds the special place of being my first ever movie and first ever book.

2. THE FIRST BOOK I READ OVER AND OVER: Looking for Alibrandi by Melina Marchetta (I was about 11 or 12 when I first read it). It's about a 17-year-old Sicilian girl living in Sydney, in her final year of high school, who deals with the stigma of growing up with a young, single mother, feeling displaced by her school and society because of her ethnic background, as well as dealing with the 'normal' stresses of life- boys and finals. It was a book that spoke to me on so many levels, and one of those great stories about self-acceptance, and self-discovery.

3. A CHILDREN’S BOOK EVERY CHILD SHOULD READ: The Little Prince by Antoine Saint-Expupery. Do I really need to explain why?

4. THE BOOK I HAVE RE-READ THE MOST TIMES: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. I read it when I was about 6 (an abridged version), read the full version when I was 9 or 10, and have read it almost once a year since. To give you an indication of how many years, I'm turning 22 in September.

5. MY FAVORITE PLACE TO READ: By the beautiful lakeside in Maleny, a wine valley-town just a couple of hours drive north from Brisbane, Queensland. I moved cities, and miss it to bits. But there's a gorgeous little park down the road from where I live now that is perfet on a wintry Sunday afternoon. That is, if you're not easily distracted by cute dogs running around.

6. MY MUST-HAVE READING ACCESSORIES: Pencil and/or post-its. Bookmark of sorts (bookmarks have been known to take the form of receipts, old train tickets, unidentifiable scraps of card paper, and pieces of string).

7. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS I OWN (YOU CAN GUESS): I'm terrible at numerical estimations. In the low hundreds, I suppose...but I have books in 3 different houses at the moment which makes estimation even more difficult.

8. MY BOOKSHELVES ARE: No longer in order. I spent hours when I first moved organising the books according to size and genre. It lasted less than a week.

9. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS ON MY TBR LIST (THAT I HAVE NOT AQUIRED YET): I'm not sure of the exact number, but I can assure you that it exceeds the number of books that I actually own.

10. THE WAY I KEEP TRACK OF BOOKS I WANT TO READ: I have a physical pile next to my disorderly bookcase, and a constantly updated list in the back of my Moleskine.

11. THE LAST BOOK I RECEIVED/BOUGHT: A friend just lent me East of Eden by John Steinbeck, but I'm assuming I'm going to have to return it at some stage. So I guess I'd say Burning In by Mireille Juchau, a brilliant, brilliant book. Given to me by a friend.

12. A BOOK THAT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN SOME WAY: I know it's lame and probably a little predictable, but Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell was the first book I read that seriously impacted the way I looked at the world. I read it around the same time I'd taken up Modern History as a subject in high school, which was taught by one of those fantastic teachers who open up your mind and encourage independent thought and skepticism, and all these things sort of came at the same time to pique my interest in politics and media. This led me to study journalism at university. Being critical of the media and of governments in general is something that I consider really important, and I think Nineteen Eighty-Four had a lot to do with it.

13. A BOOK I LIKE THAT NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO: I actually get quite a lot of grief about loving Jane Eyre so much.

14. A BOOK I DON’T LIKE THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO LOVE: As much as I love On the Road by Jack Kerouac for introducing me to the world of Beat writing in general, I have to say, as a book, it was quite a pain to read. I think I loved what it represented, rather than what it actually felt like to me, and when I recently made my change of heart known to my friends, the general reaction seemed to be one of shock and indignation.

15. A BOOK THAT INTIMIDATES ME:Anathem by Neal Stephenson. I want to read it so bad! But I'm not an experienced sci-fi reader, and have you seen the size of it?!

16. IF I COULD GO TO ANY LITERARY DESTINATION I WOULD CHOOSE: Without thinking, I'd have to answer Hogwarts. But, well, if I think back over my entire reading life, I'd choose Faraway Tree. With Moonface and all those other beloved Enid Blyton characters.

17. THREE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS: Richard Brautigan (a relatively new discovery), William Burroughs (because he is my favorite Beat writer), and Vladimir Nabokov (because he is one of those rare writers whose prose I find exquisite, without spiraling into a jealous hole of despair that I will never reach that level of literary genius).

18. I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING ABOUT BOOKS SINCE: March 2009. Life has been significantly more enjoyable since March 2009.

19. MY BOOK BLOG STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD BECAUSE: I don't just review books, I also review literary journals and zines. I also go to lots of book launches and gate-crash the post-launch dinner with authors. Nobody has told me to hook off yet (or at least, they decide not to when they find out that I'm going to blog about the event) but I often embarrass myself in front of talented, published writers whom I admire. I'm not sure if this is a good reason to stand out or not...

20. THREE BOOK BLOGGERS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FEATURED IN THE FUTURE: J.T. Oldfield from Bibliofreak, Will K from Boomerang Books' blog and Uncertain Principles from Another Cookie Crumbles.

I have to say that a book that changes your life, no matter what book it is, can never, ever be lame. Actually, 1984 had a huge impact on me as well, for much the same reasons. I am impressed you have read Jane Eyre so many times. I have yet to read it. It is one of those books that I always want to read but never get around to because so many other books are floating around. I would love to organize my books again, but like you, it doesn't last nearly as long as it really, really should. If I ever get the chance to come to Australia, let's crash a post-book launch dinner! I'm totally for that.

Coming Up Next on 20 Questions:

Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?

Favorite Quote of the Week

"The author has a message and the reader's job is to decode that message as thoroughly as possible. A good reader is like a detective, she say, looking for clues in the text. A good reader is like you Precious, she say. Passionate!"

-from the book Push by Sapphire, pg. 108

How Much Joy Can You Stand?: A Creative Guide by Suzanne Falter-Barnes

This book's purpose is to give you tools to break through your creative block and give you the inspiration to move forward with your ideas, so that they are not just your ideas any more- they are reality.

There is a wealth of information in this book about how to get your creative juices flowing and how to stop procrastinating (of which I am the Queen Bee) and get out there and make it happen already!

Barnes talks about the voices that we all have in our heads- the ones that say "No, no, it's too risky" or "You can't pull that off." or "Wait until retirement or after the kids are older or when you have more money put away or when you're life is completely perfect" (as if.) She says:

"First you have to know these voices for what they are- a mere smoke screen, set up to distract you. A meaningless test, as it were. Then you must simply allow the voices to do their thing and understand that their presence is an intergal part of your creative process. Their protests will gradually grow shorter and shorter, as the voice of your work becomes louder, and you will begin, ever so slowly, to see the value of your undertaking. So eventually when you listen you will hear more and more input that is productive."

That was very inspiring to me. It helps to know that everyone goes through the same feelings when it comes to the creative process, and to know that the voice in my head saying "I don't know about this..." gets quieter.

It's funny because I am a very outgoing person. I walk up to people and introduce myself, I am more open than most people, and I'm pretty confident that I am a cool person to know and hang out with. But when it comes to being creative, I close up. I am very self-conscious about the whole process. I even sent a children's book I started writing out to a few friends to get reactions, which were all positive and the feedback was so helpful and enjoyable. But I am still very self-conscious about it and I can't understand why my confidence about my personality does not spill over into confidence in my creative abilities.

Barnes had some advice on this:

"Creativity is that magic seed many of us assume we were born without. Yet it is lying latent, waiting in every single one of us...tend to that seed, so that it flourishes as effortlessly and as naturally as it was intended."

Barnes gives advice on how to keep track of your process as well:

"Buy or create an oversized calendar for your dream, then hang it in the space where you do this work. Make a mark on each day that you actively work at your project. You can add qualifying remarks, describing how the work went, or any other notes pertinent to your process. Your calendar should be a big visual journal of the pursuit of your dream, a constant reminder that you are giving yourself an important gift and that you are, indeed, making progress."

This book was very helpful to inspire me to go back to and keep up with my creative interests. I recommend this book to anyone who needs a confidence or motivational boost to their creative pursuits.

THE STATISTICS:
BOOK #: 44
RATING: 4 Stars
3 CHALLENGES: ThemeQuest Challenge, 100+ in 2010, Support Library Challenge
GENRE: Nonfiction, Creativity
PUBLISHER: Ballantine Wellspring
FORMAT/PAGES: Hardcover/208
HEY, FCC!: I got it from the library.

My Weekly Reading Agenda

Books I Reviewed This Past Week:
1. Possession by A.S. Byatt
2. Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

Books I Completed This Past Week:
1. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning (Max Ride #4) by James Patterson
2. How Much Joy Can You Stand? by Suzanne Falter-Barnes

Books I'm Currently Working On:

1. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict by Laurie Viera Rigler
(pg. 245 of 289)

2. She's So Dead To Us by Kieran Scott
(pg. 33 of 275)

3. Push by Sapphire (Movie Tie-In)
(pg. 20 of 140)
(I've been wanting to read this and finally got it from library on limited loan so I'm reading it first this week.)

4. The White Tiger by Avarind Adiga
(pg. 16 of 276)

ARCs Coming Up Next:
1. The Unexpected Son by Shobhan Bantwal
(Just received this in the mail for a book tour next month so need to get to it next.)
2. She-Rain by Michael Cogdill
3. Sweet Dates of Basra by Jessica Jiji
4. Keeper by Kathi Appelt

Books For Challenges Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
1. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
2. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (re-read for Flashback Challenge)
3. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Books Still Needing To Have Reviews Written or Posted:
1. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi (Half-Written)
2. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning by James Patterson
3. How Much Joy Can You Stand? by Suzanne Falter-Barnes

Current Giveaways on this Blog:
My July of Giveaways

1st Giveaway:
Double Feature: The Heretic Queen and Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

2nd Giveaway:
Didn't I Feed You Yesterday?: A Mom's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos by Laura Bennett

3rd Giveaway:
The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

Contests run through July 31st, on which day I will announce the winners!

Fireworks Over Toccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff

This book reminds me of Nicholas Sparks' dreamy small-town romances, but it also has a more sizzling side.

I really liked reading about Lily and Jake and their romance just after WWII. These parts were really interesting and I was invested in the story. I was less entranced by Lily's story with Paul, her husband who had gone off to war, but I am not sure why since this was an integral part of the story. There was a lot of going back and explaining the past, which was good, but I didn't care for the way it was done. I think I would have liked it better if the flashbacks were in separate chapters. There were headings but it just seemed haphazard and even random at times. There were scenes between Lily and Jake that were pretty hot. Jake was, well, completely dreamy. I'm just sayin'.

I think Fireworks Over Toccoa was a good read. Even if it wasn't a favorite, I think this author has a lot of potential and I would definitely try his next book.


THE STATISTICS:
BOOK #: 43
RATING: 3 Stars
4 CHALLENGES: Countdown Challenge, Twenty Ten Challenge, New Authors Challenge, A to Z Titles Challenge, 100+ in 2010
GENRE: Chick-Lit, Contemporary Romance
PUBLISHER: St. Martin's Press
FORMAT/PAGES: Paperback/260
HEY, FCC!: Given to me for review by the publisher. I was not compensated in any other way.

JULY OF GIVEAWAYS: Giveaway #3 The Luxe

The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

I personally couldn't get into this book, but I know plenty of readers and bloggers who really enjoyed it. I want to pass this book on to someone else who would love to read it. Here is the Goodreads synopsis:

A big, sumptuous tale of catty girls, dark secrets and windswept romance unfurls in this compulsively readable novel of late-19th-century New York City socialites. Godbersen weaves a tenuous web of deceit, backstabbing and pretense that follows four teens: Elizabeth Holland, a prim and proper lady of old-money society, is betrothed to one man, though furtively loves another; Henry Schoonmaker, a debauched playboy who must marry Elizabeth or be disinherited; Diana Holland, Elizabeth’s younger sister who is in love with her fiancé; and Penelope Hayes, a member of the nouveau riche who will stop at nothing to win Henry’s affections. As Elizabeth and Henry’s wedding approaches, the spectacle unfolds in a wondrously grandiose scene, making for a fun, though not entirely unexpected dénouement. A delicious new twist along the Gossip Girl vein, readers will clamor for this sharp, smart drama of friends, lovers, lies and betrayal.


If you want to read a couple of reviews on this book, here is a small sampling:
Library Queue
Pepper Ink
English Major's Junk Food


TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY, CLICK HERE.

Contest runs through July 31st. This giveaway is open internationally.

TSS: It's a Gamble When You Watch the Movie First

It is the age-old debate: read the book or watch the movie first?

Book lovers everywhere will usually readily scream: "The book! The book! It's always better!"

Movie lovers tend to say: "Watching the movie lets me know if I'd be interested in the book."

A bibliophile knows, however, that many books are not well-adapted to the screen. Sometimes it is just near impossible to adapt a book into a screenplay. Other times the adaptation is a haphazard hodgepodge of the book, and the movie makes no sense because of it (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, anyone?).

I love movies almost as much as books, perhaps even the same, but I do recognize that watching a movie before reading the book is always a gamble. I have had both good and bad experiences with watching the movie first.

GOOD EXPERIENCES
-Possession I loved the movie and couldn't wait to read the book, which I also enjoyed.
-Breakfast at Tiffany's I first saw this movie years ago before I even realized it was a book. I finally read it in 2007 or 2008 and although they were not as similar as I thought they would be, I was still able to appreciate both the book and the movie.
-The Bone Collector I still like the movie better than the book. And the book did not offer that many more details than were in the movie. A little more about the romance between the main characters and that was it.
-Julius Caesar I actually could understand what was taking place in the story because I had watched it on film. So I could usually decipher a particularly thorny line or stanza with the help of knowing what was supposed to happen next.

BAD EXPERIENCES
-Angela's Ashes This movie was so real and so raw and so gritty that I had a hard time getting into the book when I picked it up. It just paled in comparison to the movie experience.
-The Fellowship of the Ring I will probably never pick up J.R. Tolkein's trilogy because I couldn't get into the movie more than it was worth watching once.
-Gone With the Wind I could not sit through this epic film. It was so slow. I was bored. I don't see how I could deal with the chunky novel.


What about you? What kind of experiences have you had with watching the movie before reading the book? Do you have more good or not so good experiences? Is there anything in particular that may make you reach for the DVD before the book? What is it?

Operation Homecoming: Writing the Wartime Experience

Richard E. Robbins directed a documentary that affected me so deeply that I felt compelled to share it with all of you.

This Oscar-nominated documentary showcases veterans who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. The documentary recounts their war experiences through the writings of both the soldiers and their families in order to give a deeply personal view of American troops' involvement in these conflicts. Various visual strategies complement the interviews and readings by such noted actors as Robert Duvall, Beau Bridges, Blair Underwood, Aaron Eckhart and writers Anthony Swofford, James Salter and Tobias Wolff.

The stories varied from heart-wrenching to humorous, touching on what it is like to live in the desert to the regret and grief that comes with killing innocent civilians in order to survive a conflict. The visuals and reenactments beautifully captured the essence of what I was hearing in the soldiers' writing. There were so many poignant statements that came from the journals and letters that I had to share some of them here. I have a feeling that even reading these will affect you.

OPERATION HOMECOMING: WRITING THE WARTIME EXPERIENCE

"The war on TV just seemed very antiseptic. We were always saying 'this isn't right', 'this isn't the way it is', 'this isn't the way we see the war.' So I just started writing what we were experiencing. What my crew saw was a very up-close, personal human experience. That's all we did every day- is these battered human beings would come into our plain and we would have to take care of 'em."

"I was afraid I wouldn't see anything interesting. Which was just the dumbest thing ever. Because I had a lot to learn about the word 'interesting.' "

"The longer you're in combat the more sure you are you're not going to survive anymore. And your friends who would just be buddies under normal circumstances become the closest friends you have because they may be the last people you know."

"He pointed his AK-47 right at me, right into my pupils...and pulled the trigger."

"It's kill or be killed. It has nothing to do with what you believe."

"We lie here on the cold ground wondering how tomorrow will come if today never ends."

"I know a number of you are curious about what it's like over here. So we're going to take a small mental voyage. First, we're going to prepare our living area. First, go to your vacuum, open the canister, and pour it all over you. Now roll in it til it's in your ears, nose, eyes. And, no, there is no escape from it. And I don't even want to talk about the latrine."

"There is no perfection in warfare. It is very messy. And one thing you're trained for in the military is perfection. War is not about perfection. It's about a bloody, ugly mess. So in the midst of this world where you're supposed to constantly achieve perfection, you can't. And I think that breeds guilt and regret and second guessing one's actions."


Deep, intense, heartfelt, raw, emotional- this documentary gives it to you as straight as you will ever get it in a film. I highly recommend watching it. I know I am forever changed as a result.

20 Questions: Nicole from Linus's Blanket!

This week I am happy to have Nicole of Linus's Blanket to answer the 20 questions and get to know her a little better. In addition to enjoying Nicole's blog I also like Nicole's radio podcast, That's How I Blog! I am impressed with everyone who Nicole has on the show. I myself, don't give good phone. No, I am much wittier in person when you can see my facial expressions and wild hand movements while I talk. But I digress.







1. MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF READING: I had little picture books and the first that I remember is Hansel and Gretel. I still remember the shiny and rippled version that my cover had.
2. THE FIRST BOOK I READ OVER AND OVER: The Wednesday Witch by Ruth Chew. And even though it is a children's book, I have read it a few times as an adult as well!
3. A CHILDREN’S BOOK EVERY CHILD SHOULD READ: The Boxcar Children, by Gertrude Warner Chandler. It's a fun book and works for both boys and girls. I just gave it to a friend of mine at her baby shower and told her it was worth the wait for when her little boy is older.
4. THE BOOK I HAVE RE-READ THE MOST TIMES: Probably Pride and Prejudice. I would like to be able to re-read more than I do, but I have read this one more than a few times over the years and it has been interesting to see my response to it change over the years.
5. MY FAVORITE PLACE TO READ: I have a small sofa in my bedroom that I love to read on, but most often I read in the bed. I usually have a book everywhere I go, so also on the train and in lines. Standing in line at the post office or the grocery store doesn't bother me when I have my book.
6. MY MUST-HAVE READING ACCESSORIES: I have been known to read with a big bowl of popcorn by my side, and after the popcorn I need water.
7. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS I OWN (YOU CAN GUESS): I had done a game with some bloggers and whittled my books down to a slim 300 books, but in just a few months I am back up to 500+. BEA played a big role in that.
8. MY BOOKSHELVES ARE: longing for the days when they weren't double stacked and overstocked!
9. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS ON MY TBR LIST (THAT I HAVE NOT ACQUIRED YET): My TBR is pretty much books that I have already acquired. I don't really keep lists of what I want because I would be in even more trouble than I am now as far as the number of books that I own.
10. THE WAY I KEEP TRACK OF BOOKS I WANT TO READ: I have lists of what I need to be reading at certain times - like for book clubs, readalongs, etc- but I want to read everything I own so I really don't have a list like that.
11. THE LAST BOOK I RECEIVED/BOUGHT: Rowan The Strange, by Julie Hearn and Lost by Jacqueline Davies. I'm reading them to judge for the Nerds Heart YA competition.
12. A BOOK THAT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN SOME WAY: Toni Morrison's Beloved really opened my eyes to how well done and intricate books could be. I marveled, and still do, by the way that book unfolded.
13. A BOOK I LIKE THAT NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO: I haven't run across that book yet. Of course something will probably come to me much, much later.
14. A BOOK I DON’T LIKE THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO LOVE: Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro; Little Bee, by Chris Cleave
15. A BOOK THAT INTIMIDATES ME: I don't know that I am intimidated by Ulysses by James Joyce, but it's definitely a book that everyone says they don't understand or requires a lot. I can't say that I have much desire to read it after what I have heard about it.
16. IF I COULD GO TO ANY LITERARY DESTINATION I WOULD CHOOSE: That's a hard one because I have been to quite a few of them already. Maybe Prince Edward Island. I am a big Anne of Green Gables fan, and I was excited to learn this year that it is on the East Coast of North America- for some reason I thought it was to the west like Vancouver.
17. THREE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS: Toni Morrison, William Faulkner, Mildred Taylor
18. I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING ABOUT BOOKS SINCE: I started in 2008 on the last day of May.
19. MY BOOK BLOG STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD BECAUSE: I haven't figured that out yet, but I do my best to read books that I think I will enjoy and write about them to the best of my ability. I also like to post pictures of meals I come across in books. Food helps everything!
20. THREE BOOK BLOGGERS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FEATURED IN THE FUTURE: Danielle at There's a Book, Allie from Hist-Fic Chick, Natasha from Maw Books


Thanks so much for sharing today, Nicole! I can't say I share your resolve not to make lists of books you want. My Goodreads TBR is out of control. Also, I think the way you write your reviews makes your blog stand out because you really have a way with words.

Who's in the 20 Questions Hot Seat Next?

Elena from With Extra Pulp
Trish from Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?

Possession by A.S. Byatt

I haven't read a contemporary book as elegantly written as Possession in a long time. This is my first book by A.S. Byatt and she really made a fan out of me.

I love the descriptions, whether it was "twanging music" or a "frigid voice" or "shelf after shelf of wet stone and ledges of rock-pools, stretching away to the sea." Even "caught in the lips of the letterbox." Just beautiful, isn't it?

The story was captivating. I wanted to know more and more about Ash and Christabel, the two Victorian poets whom Roland and Maud are trying to discover whether had a love affair or not. They investigate by reading and comparing Christabel and Ash's letters, diary entries, and poems.

A.S. Byatt created a wonderful array of letters and poems for the two poets. I loved reading the language of their time and the beauty of the way they put words together. I also liked that not only was this story a romance story but also a mystery and a world of intellectual ideas and thoughts. It kept my mind very entertained and it also challenged me.

I can certainly see why this book won the Booker Prize. It is very well-written, with well-defined characters and beautiful writing. I really recommend it.


THE STATISTICS:
BOOK #: 42
RATING: 4.5 Stars
5 CHALLENGES: TwentyTen Challenge, New Authors, Take Another Chance Challenge (for #4), RYOB Challenge, A-Z Titles Challenge
GENRE: Literary Fiction
PUBLISHER: Vintage International
FORMAT/PAGES: Paperback/555
HEY, FCC!: I purchased this book.

Adding to Mt. TBR thanks to Bloggers, Part 2

This is part 2 of Adding to Mt. TBR. To see part 1, click here.

Book: To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker
Recommended by: Amy @ Passages to the Past
Synopsis:
On a May morning in 1664, in the small village of Versailles, as hundreds of young aristocrats are coming to pay court to King Louis XIV, a peasant fan-maker gives birth to her first and only child, Marguerite. Determined to give her daughter a better life than the one she herself has lived, the young mother vows to break the newborn’s bonds of poverty and ensure that she fulfills her destiny—to dance with kings. Purely by chance, a drunken nobleman witnesses the birth and makes a reckless promise to return for Marguerite in seventeen years. With those fateful words, events are set into motion that will span three monarchies, affecting the lives of four generations of women.

Marguerite becomes part of the royal court of the Sun King, but her fairy-tale existence is torn out from under her by a change of political winds. Jasmin, Marguerite’s daughter, is born to the life of privilege her grandmother dreamed of, but tempts fate by daring to catch the eye of the king. Violette, Marguerite’s granddaughter, is drawn to the nefarious side of life among the nobles at Versailles. And Rose, Violette’s daughter, becomes a lady-in-waiting and confidante to Marie Antoinette. Through Rose, a love lost generations before will come full circle, even as the ground beneath Versailles begins to rumble with the chaos of the coming revolution.

An epic generational tale of loves lost, promises kept, dreams broken, and monarchies shattered, To Dance with Kings is a story of passion and privilege, humble beginnings and limitless ambition.

Book: Daughters of Rome by Kate Quinn
Recommended by: Amy @ Passages to the Past
Synopsis:
A.D. 69. The Roman Empire is up for the taking. The Year of Four Emperors will change everything—especially the lives of two sisters with a very personal stake in the outcome.
Elegant and ambitious, Cornelia embodies the essence of the perfect Roman wife. She lives to one day see her loyal husband as Emperor. Her sister Marcella is more aloof, content to witness history rather than make it. But when a bloody coup turns their world upside-down, both women must maneuver carefully just to stay alive. As Cornelia tries to pick up the pieces of her shattered dreams, Marcella discovers a hidden talent for influencing the most powerful men in Rome. In the end, though, there can only be one Emperor…and one Empress.

Book: Lily of the Nile by Stephanie Dray
Recommended by: Amy @ Passages to the Past
Synopsis:
To Isis worshippers, Princess Selene and her twin brother Helios embody the divine celestial pair who will bring about a Golden Age. But when Selene’s parents are vanquished by Rome, her auspicious birth becomes a curse. Trapped in an empire that reviles her heritage and suspects her faith, the young messianic princess struggles for survival in a Roman court of intrigue. She can’t hide the hieroglyphics that carve themselves into her hands, nor can she stop the emperor from using her powers for his own ends. But faced with a new and ruthless Caesar who is obsessed with having a Cleopatra of his very own, Selene is determined to resurrect her mother’s dreams. Can she succeed where her mother failed? And what will it cost her in a political game where the only rule is win—or die?

Book: The Second Duchess by Elizabeth Loupas
Recommended by: Amy @ Passages to the Past
Synopsis:
SYNOPSIS: In a city-state known for magnificence, where love affairs and conspiracies play out amidst brilliant painters, poets and musicians, the powerful and ambitious Alfonso d’Este, duke of Ferrara, takes a new bride. Half of Europe is certain he murdered his first wife, Lucrezia, the luminous child of the Medici. But no one dares accuse him, and no one has proof—least of all his second duchess, the far less beautiful but delightfully clever Barbara of Austria. At first determined to ignore the rumors about her new husband, Barbara embraces the pleasures of the Ferrarese court. Yet wherever she turns she hears whispers of the first duchess’s wayward life and mysterious death. Barbara asks questions—a dangerous mistake for a duchess of Ferrara. Suddenly, to save her own life, Barbara has no choice but to risk the duke’s terrifying displeasure and discover the truth of Lucrezia’s death—or she will share her fate.

Book: The Scarlet Contessa by Jeanne Kalogridis
Recommended by: Jen @ Devourer of Books
She says:
“The Scarlet Contessa” confirmed what I thought after reading “The Devil’s Queen,” that Kalogridis is a very skilled author. Her particular talent is taking characters who should be unsympathetic due to their actions and making the reader care about what happens to them. Not every author can do that, and many books have left me cold because I could not care less about the protagonist. Kalogridis, though, examines the complex motivations behind some very unsympathetic actions. Not to mention she is a great storyteller, one who knows how to captivate her audience. Highly recommended.

Book: Day for Night by Frederick Reiken
Recommended by: Jen @ Devourer of Books
She says:
“Day for Night” is unlike any other book I’ve read, in that it is essentially a series of short stories that are somewhat but not entirely interconnected. And yet it was also a sort of novel. Instead of giving the depth of its story as experienced by a few characters like most novels, it instead gave the breadth of the story by focusing on a different set of characters whose lives interacted with one another in each of ten stories.

Book: Watermark by Vanitha Sankaran
Recommended by: Anna @ Diary of an Eccentric
She says:
Despite some predictability, Watermark is a captivating novel about the power of words. The beautiful writing, with a strong female lead and a cast of interesting secondary characters living in a frightening period when beliefs that do not conform to the status quo can lead to death, makes it one of my favorite reads of 2010.

Book: Hitler's Canary by Sandi Toksvig
Recommended by: Anna @ Diary of an Eccentric
She says:
Hitler’s Canary is told in the first person from Bamse’s point of view, and Toksvig does a great job showing his internal conflicts, as he is torn between obeying his parents and working for the Resistance and not always knowing who is good and who shouldn’t be trusted. There was more telling than showing in several chapters, and Bamse probably was the only well developed character, but that didn’t keep me from getting lost in the story. Bamse’s mother, the actress, was a very interesting character, and her acting abilities took center stage in a nail-biting scene involving Bamse’s shady uncle, some hidden Jews, and the Gestapo.

Book: Heresy by S.J. Parris Recommended by: Jen @ A Garden Carried in the Pocket
She says:
In 1583, Elizabeth I is on the throne of England and trying to keep the political and religious turmoil in check. Her Secretary of State (and spymaster), Sir Francis Walsingham handled both espionage and domestic security. He had close ties with Robert Dudley, the Earl of Leicester, and his son-in-law was Sir Philip Sidney. Among his reported "intelligencers" were Christopher Marlowe and Giordano Bruno. All but Marlowe play a role in this historical mystery.

The fictional version of Giordano Bruno finds himself recruited by Walsingham and is to accompany his friend Sir Philip Sidney to Oxford, ostensibly to take part in a debate, but also on a mission to uncover secret Catholics suspected of plotting treason. Bruno finds himself trying to solve a gruesome murder that may or may not have to do with those involved in treason. When another murder is discovered, Bruno is under even greater pressure to solve the mystery, stop the murderer, and prevent the treasonous plot.

Book: Lucky Girl by Mei-Ling Hopgood
Recommended by: Alyce @ At Home with Books
She says:
Lucky Girl is the story of Mei-Ling Hopgood's reunion with her birth relatives. There are a few chapters devoted to her early life - how she came to be adopted, and what her relationship with her adopted parents was like. The rest of the book though, is about how she met her Chinese relatives and developed relationships of varying degrees of closeness with them. Beyond the emotions of reuniting with unknown relatives, the aspect that I found most interesting was how cultural differences affected family dynamics.

Book: Market Day by James Sturm
Recommended by: Aarti @ Booklust
She says:
This was a short book with a quiet theme, but one that I think resonates with anyone who has had to prioritize certain things above others. It is like one of those moments when you realize that you've lost your idealism- that you no longer believe that if you just do your best work, you will be rewarded. It's a hard lesson to learn, but Sturm describes that moment wonderfully in this novella.

Lots of books to add to the list, right? Which ones do you want to add to your TBR?

What is on the reading agenda this week

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey.
I just wanted a personalized graphic so I made this photo to post for this meme each week.

Books I completed the past week are:
1. Fireworks Over Taccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff
2. Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi

Books I am currently working on:

1. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict (pg. 219 of 289) (for challenges)
I am enjoying this one very much, although Confessions was better (at this point, mind you.)

2. Maximum Ride: The Final Warning (Max Ride Series #4) by James Patterson (pg. 51 of 256) (for challenges)

3. She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott (pg. 33 of 275) (ARC)


ARCs Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
1. She-Rain by Michael Cogdill
2. Sweet Dates in Basra by Jessica Jiji
3. Keeper by Kathi Appelt

Books for Challenges Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
1. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
2. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
3. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (re-read for Flashback challenge)
4. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Reviews posted the past two weeks:
1. None! I need to get writing!

Books still needing to have reviews written or posted:
1. Possession by A.S. Byatt
2. Fireworks Over Taccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff
3. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

Current giveaways on this blog:
My July of Giveaways
1st Giveaway:
Double Feature: The Heretic Queen and Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran

2nd Giveaway:
Didn't I Feed You Yesterday?: A Mother's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos by Laura Bennett

Contests run through July 31st, on which day I will announce the winners!

Adding to Mt. TBR thanks to Bloggers, Part 1

I have discovered SO SO many good books this week while catching up on my blog reading. In fact, I found so many I had to break this post up into 2 parts! Several bloggers gave me multiple books to add this week. Enough small talk- let's get to the books!

Book: Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1) by Patricia Briggs
Recommended by: Christy @ A Good Stopping Point
Christy was actually reviewing book 5 in the series but I want of course to read the first one first. She said:

Moon Called #1 (good introduction to the series, and the book that distracted me from ever finishing Twilight which I had out from the library at the same time. Moon Called was definitely the more interesting of the two.

Book: The Passage by Justin Cronin
Recommended by: Deb @ Book Magic

In 2014, the military experiments on twelve death row inmates, using a virus from a band of vampires in South America, to create nearly indestructible humans for warfare. Then they decide to try it on a small child, six-year old Amy, abandoned by her mother and left with nuns. But then the original twelve escape and the virus becomes an epidemic and the country is in chaos. The FBI agent that brought Amy to the military compound tries to save her and heads for the mountains.
Fast forward 100 years to a colony in Northern California, where people were brought by the army. They don't know if anyone is left alive in the country or world except the "virals" who come out at night. They are only safe because they have powerful battery operated lights that keep the virals away, but they know it is a matter of time before the batteries die. Then Amy finds her way to the colony and they have to make a difficult decision.

Book: Siren by Trisha Rayburn
Recommended by: Michelle @ Galleysmith
She said:

In a market filled with vampires, werewolves and other supernatural and paranormal creatures Siren was a refreshing step away into the land of the deep sea. Set in a small lake-side town in Maine the Sands sisters are preparing for their last summer of fun with the Carmichael brothers before Justine heads off to college. The only problem is that this sleepy town is now ground zero for a rash of sea-based deaths, including Justine’s own. Light on the town’s history and mermaid-ish folklore, Siren had the perfect mix of romance, suspense and action. For me, this made the story all that more enjoyable. I received just the right amount of information to understand the story without being hit over the head with interesting but needless facts...Rayburn crafted an excellent mystery and wrote it beautifully. Depth of emotion was not in short supply. Power and control were large parts of the main theme...Pacing of the story was fantastic. It wasn’t too slow but didn’t rush to tell us everything in the first chapter.

Book: Out of Shadows by Jason Wallace
Recommended by: Stephanie @ Laughing Stars
She said:

"If I stood you in front of a man, pressed a gun into your palm and told you to squeeze the trigger, would you do it? No, Sir, No way! What if I then told you we’d gone back in time and his name was Adolf Hitler? Would you do it then?"

This question is posed in Out of the Shadows, a dark, thought provoking historical novel for young adults that closely explores people’s motivations for violence and evil. Though this was a quick read for me, I suspect parts of the story will continue to gnaw at me, sticking in my memory for a long time.

Book: Female Nomad and Friends by Rita Golden Gelman
Recommended by: Stephanie @ Laughing Stars
Reading all the excerpts Stephanie included from the book is what made me want to read this book.

Book: Half Life by Roopa Farooki
Recommended by: Stephanie @ Laughing Stars
She said:

The writing in this novel is absolutely beautiful. All the threads of the story mingle smoothly, and it’s rich with metaphors and literary and poetic allusions. The novel deals with disturbing themes, including death, suicide, mental illness, addiction and incest. It also explores the turmoil in India in the wake of English colonialism and the bloody civil war in Pakistan. The characters were vibrantly drawn...Because of the author’s gorgeous writing and vibrant storytelling ability, I will find this book hard to forget. And the forays into Asian history and culture added another dimension, making it much more interesting. I recommend it to people who enjoy multicultural fiction and knotty family stories.

Book: The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers
Recommended by: Staci @ Life in the Thumb
She said:

Randy Susan Meyers has crafted a world that pulls you in page by page and will not give you up until the very last word. Once I started this book I had a hard time putting it down.

Book: Disrupting Grace by Kristen Richburg
Recommended by: Staci @ Life in the Thumb
She said:

This is the story of Kristen's experience with adoption of a child who suffers from Reactive Attachment Disorder/and multiple bonding issues and the traumatic decision to disrupt the adoption after four years. Many people think that love is all a child needs, but that is not true. I know...I lived Kristen's life for 5 years...and it was life altering and not in a good way.

Book: Based Upon Availability by Alix Strauss
Recommended by: Trish @ Hey Lady! Whatcha Readin'?
She said:

The strength of Based Upon Availability is in the author’s ability to convey a character’s deepest fears, anxieties and insecurities within a few short pages...There wasn’t a single woman that my heart didn’t reach out for. It’s such a cliche to say how ‘raw’ the book was, but I really felt like the emotions and insecurities were so close to the surface that if I reached out, I might be able to touch them and see what they feel like.

Book: The Book of Awesome by Neil Pasricha
Recommended by: Alea @ Pop Culture Junkie
She said:

I'd have to say I agreed with about 99% of the things he declared awesome, this guy has great taste. Some of my favorites include: Fixing electronics by smacking them, When you're really tired and about to fall asleep and someone throws a blanket on you, and Terrible businesses run by children. There is so much here!

Part 2 of Adding to Mt. TBR coming soon...

My Friend Amy is Here!

Today I am happy to have Amy from My Friend Amy on 20 Questions. Amy is a truly dedicated book blogger and in addition to her own blog, you can find her involved in projects including the fabulous Book Bloggers Appreciation Week, which will be September 13-17 this year. Thanks Amy for sharing today!


1. MY EARLIEST MEMORY OF READING:
I have no idea what my earliest memory of reading is, but I do remember that my mom read to my brother, sister, and I when we were little. Some favorites were The BFG, and Little House on the Prairie

2. THE FIRST BOOK I READ OVER AND OVER:
Hard! I'm sure there was a picture I loved, but I really don't remember reading picture books. Nancy Drew was my first obsession in second grade. I used to make my friends play Nancy Drew at recess...and I had to be Nancy!

3. A CHILDREN’S BOOK EVERY CHILD SHOULD READ:
I really love You Are Special by Max Lucado

4. THE BOOK I HAVE RE-READ THE MOST TIMES:
Probably one of the books i used with my students when teaching adult literacy. I would often read the same picture book several times in one day.

5. MY FAVORITE PLACE TO READ:
I love reading outside on a beautiful day.

6. MY MUST-HAVE READING ACCESSORIES:
Um, a diet coke?

7. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS I OWN (YOU CAN GUESS):
Over 1,000

8. MY BOOKSHELVES ARE:
Overburdened.

9. THE NUMBER OF BOOKS ON MY TBR LIST (THAT I HAVE NOT AQUIRED YET):
I don't actually keep much of a wishlist. But I do have one on Amazon and Paperbackswap and I think I probably have a few hundred on them combined.

10. THE WAY I KEEP TRACK OF BOOKS I WANT TO READ:
I will star a review in my google reader or add the book to my wishlist on Amazon. But i actually have a pretty good memory and store a lot of it up there.

11. THE LAST BOOK I RECEIVED/BOUGHT:
I received a few books from HarperCollins in the mail today including: I Heart New York, The Next Queen of Heaven, The Debutante, and The Gentleman Poet

12. A BOOK THAT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE IN SOME WAY:
Unspoken by Angela Hunt made me realize how intelligent and dignified animals are...it made me think about them with more respect and desire to help make our planet more friendly for them.

13. A BOOK I LIKE THAT NO ONE ELSE SEEMS TO:
The Dead and the Gone by Susan Beth Pfeffer Everyone seemed ticked it wasn't about Miranda but I preferred Alex to Miranda and the city setting.

14. A BOOK I DON’T LIKE THAT EVERYONE ELSE SEEMS TO LOVE:
Little Bee by Chris Cleave

15. A BOOK THAT INTIMIDATES ME:
Moby Dick and I have no desire to read it.

16. IF I COULD GO TO ANY LITERARY DESTINATION I WOULD CHOOSE:
Hogwarts

17. THREE OF MY FAVORITE AUTHORS:
Beth Kephart, Lisa Samson, Frederick Buechner
18. I HAVE BEEN BLOGGING ABOUT BOOKS SINCE:
2007

19. MY BOOK BLOG STANDS OUT FROM THE CROWD BECAUSE:
I love Jesus but I also love vampires. This can be tough to balance when each often have different audiences.

20. THREE BOOK BLOGGERS I WOULD LIKE TO SEE FEATURED IN THE FUTURE:
Ana of the Book Smugglers, Angie of Angieville, and Natasha of Maw Books Blog

Thank you for participating, Amy! I haven't heard of Unspoken and need to look that up. 'Overburdened' is such a great word for describing your bookshelves. I'd have to say mine are too!

Coming Up Through the End of July on 20 Questions:

Nicole of Linus' Blanket
Elena of With Extra Pulp

GIVEAWAY: Didn't I Feed You Yesterday? A Mother's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos

For my second giveaway in my July of Giveaways is a book I was sent for review. However, I am unable to review this book and I want to give it to a good home with another blogger who will read it and review it.

The book is Didn't I Feed You Yesterday? A Mother's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos by Laura Bennett. You may remember Laura Bennett from Season 3 of Project Runway.


Here is the synopsis of the book from Goodreads:

Laura Bennett is not a soccer mom or a PTA mom or a helicopter mom—and she’s certainly not mother of the year. Another breed of mother entirely, Laura is surely more Auntie Mame than June Cleaver. As a busy mother of six, Laura is on an impossible mission: raising a brood of fast-moving, messy, wild sons in the jungles of Manhattan. So what other choice does she have than to sit back, grab a martini, and let the boys be, er, boys? In Didn’t I Feed You Yesterday?, Laura gives her irreverent take on modern motherhood and proves that a strong sense of humor and an even stronger sense of self are the mother’s milk of sanity. In a series of refreshingly candid and hilarious anecdotes, she unapologetically breaks every rule in the Brady Bunch playbook: She gives her kids junk food, plays favorites, and openly admits to having “a genetic predisposition to laissez-faire parenting.” Children, she observes, don’t need constant supervision from neurotic, perfectionist parents. Allow kids to make mistakes and entertain themselves and they’ll turn out just fine—even if you do sometimes forget to pick them up from school. Beyond the mayhem of a life among males, Laura celebrates the glories of womanhood with a generous helping of wit and style. She gives thanks to the fashion gods for the essentials—red lipstick, Manolo Blahniks, and Lycra shapewear—but reminds us that true style comes from an inner compass that points directly at oneself. In every aspect of life, Laura gives one simple, powerful piece of advice: “Dress like you want it or stay home.” Brutally honest, outrageous, and sure to raise a few eyebrows, Didn’t I Feed You Yesterday? is a riotously funny read—and it’ll go fabulously well with your new handbag.

If you are interested, fill out the form through the link Didn't I Feed You Yesterday? and the winner will be announced July 31st!


Michelle Moran Giveaway

What Are Your Favorite Genres?

Everyone has favorite genres that they read- even eclectic readers like myself. Whether you enjoy historical fiction or science fiction, art books or nonfiction satires, memoirs or young adult- you have favorites. It's okay to choose. It won't hurt the other genres feelings, I promise. (Or we just won't tell them.)

Here is my list:

1. Historical Fiction- I like reading about places and people different than my own life. Historical fiction definitely fits that bill. My favorite time periods are Ancient Egypt, Regency England, and Ancient Japan.



2. Memoirs- I enjoy reading a tantalizing real-life account of someone, written from their own perspective. I usually go for memoirs that are either very funny or are stories of triumphs over adversity. Some favorite picks are The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert, and Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster.



3. Contemporary World Literature- I love reading about other cultures, whether it be historical fiction or a memoir or contemporary fiction. Books that come to mind: Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden, A Disobedient Girl by Ru Freeman, and The Writing on My Forehead by Nafisa Haji.


What about you? What are your favorite genres to read? Please share by participating in this meme on your blog! Then come back and add your link so others can find your post. You have all week to get your post together.

The Reading Agenda This Week

This weekly meme is hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey.
I just wanted a personalized graphic so I made this photo to post for this meme each week.

Books I completed the past week are:
1. 3rd Degree by James Patterson

Books I am currently working on:
I finally gave up on The Luxe. I just couldn't get into it. So here's what I'm reading now.
Fiction:

1. Fireworks Over Taccoa by Jeffrey Stepakoff (pg. 60 of 260)(ARC)
So far it feels very similar to a Nicholas Sparks book to me.

2. Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict (pg. 176 of 289) (for challenges)
I am enjoying this one very much, although Confessions was better (at this point, mind you.)

Nonfiction:
None again. I guess I am making good on my goal to read more fiction!

ARCs Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
(My gosh, I know I just started another ARC last week but it still seems I never make a dent in this pile. One reason that after the last one on this list I am officially on ARC hiatus.)
1. She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott
2. She-Rain by Michael Cogdill
3. Sweet Dates in Basra by Jessica Jiji
4. Keeper by Kathi Appelt

Books for Challenges Coming Up Next in the TBR Pile:
1. Maximum Ride 4 by James Patterson
2. Uglies by Scott Westerfield
3. The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig
4. Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (re-read for Flashback challenge)
5. Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Reviews posted the past two weeks:
1. 3rd Degree by James Patterson

Books still needing to have reviews written or posted:
1. Possession by A.S. Byatt

Current giveaways on this blog:
My July of Giveaways
1st Giveaway:
Double Feature: The Heretic Queen and Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran